四面楚歌  Shimen Soka
by Prokofiev
Summary: The lives of Owatatsumi Amaya and Hatake Kakashi slowly become more intertwined as the two become involved in a hopeless battle against genocide, treachery, deception, and abuse of power.  Is friendship akin to weakness or strength? Kakashi X OC
1. 前奏曲 Prelude

Summary: The lives of Owatatsumi Amaya and Hatake Kakashi slowly become more intertwined as the two become involved in a hopeless battle against genocide, treachery, deception, and abuse of power. Is friendship akin to weakness or strength? Kakashi X Original Character

四面楚歌

Shimen Soka

前奏曲

Prelude:

七年前に

Seven years ago:

An elderly shinobi stared up from the paper, sporting an ugly yet genuine smile. There were seven of him on the seven previous pages, each a year older than the one that followed. The current successor was a hideous drawing, but more than acceptable for a ten year old girl. Furthermore, there was a stark discrepancy between the newest shinobi and his predecessors. A little girl leaned on him, holding his hand and resting her head on his elbow. Her eyes were shut and depicted by two straight lines. A half circle of a smile filled up most of her face.

The ten year old artist stared blankly at her work and decided to add a caption at the top. She dipped her pen in ink and scrawled as neatly as she could, "They are my friends. We must abandon the mission." She smiled ever so slightly but stopped short as a vicious knock attacked her door. She slammed the notebook shut, smearing the fresh ink, and shoved it into her pocket as her father shouted.

"Umikage-sama has sent you on a mission, you insolent girl! Run to the docks now or you will be late, and I will be forced to beat sense into you when you return! If you return is still a question, you useless toy!" A bald, fierce old man with a foot-long beard burst into his daughter's bedroom and shoved her out the front door. "RUN YOU MULE!" He screamed when the girl hesitated.

Owatatsumi Amaya sprinted towards the docks, nearly slipping as the spring tides occasionally washed over the stone path. _Friends._ She studied the word as she made her way through the Village Hidden in the Sea. The only meaning of "friend" that she was aware of was closer to the word "ally." Someone on the same side in a war, in which case everyone in the village could be considered her "friend." But, there was something more to the word. Some strange, warm connotation she was not familiar with. Something that made her want to smile.

Amaya bit her lip as she approached the docks where her team waited. She had better not be caught daydreaming! It was bad enough that no one took her seriously, being the only female warrior in her village. The only Kunoichi.

"You're late," blacked-haired Tatsuo hissed, "Get in the boat, Owatatsumi-sama."

Amaya knew the honorary title "sama" coming from Tatsuo was simply obligatory considering her high social status. Tatsuo always injected as much sarcasm into the title as he could without getting in trouble.

Their third teammate, the middle-aged Obata, stared up at the pitch black, cloud-covered night sky with a detached, philosophical expression. Despite being a man of few words, his animosity towards Amaya was always present in the atmosphere. It was to be expected. These older, elite shinobi hated the fact that they _needed_ a ten year old _girl_. Her noble status did nothing to abate their ill-will.

Amaya brushed their thinly veiled feelings aside, tied back her unkempt, ugly, dark-blond hair, and hopped lightly into the waiting boat.

Their voyage across the sea to the southeastern edge of the Fire Country was uneventful. All conversation between the trio was reserved to strategic plans for their most important mission yet- the assassination of the Third Mizukage, who would be traveling across the southern edge of the Fire Country to the River Country.

When they reached their destination, a small clearing in a dense, deserted forest, Obata and Tatsuo glanced at Amaya expectantly.

"Oh, so now I'm not just a useless little girl," she muttered almost inaudibly. "What are you waiting for, get in your guard positions and watch my back!"

"Just wait 'till she gets her period in a few years," Tatsuo whispered loudly to Obata, "She'll become even more bossy."

Amaya ignored him and promptly sat cross-legged on the forest floor, breathing slowly in and out, summoning her chakra into her brain.

_Kukyou_, she whispered with her mind. A full two minutes passed before she received a reply.

_Yes, my dear? I have found your little target. He is SO cute..._

Suddenly, a wave of images washed through Amaya's mind. She was rushing through the branches at inhuman speed, leaves and birds whirling past her. Several minutes passed until she reached her target. He was anything but small, and definitely not cute. He was hideous, overgrown, and had three hairy moles on his white face. The Mizukage's hair was flat, gray, and greasy and his eyes were small and cunning. He was accompanied by two scantily clad kunoichi who looked more like pole-dancers than fighters. Amaya's vision was forced to zone in and focus on the plump, sagging rear end of the heavier kunoichi.

_EW! Kukyou! Stop! You can let me go now._

_Oh, sorry, I thought you might be encouraged by the sight because they don't look like much competition._

_ Looks can be deceiving, either way—GROSS, STOP! I did NOT want to see THAT!_

Amaya jumped to her feet with surprise when the unwanted image changed to Obata's back facing her. She sighed with relief.

"You found 'em? What kind of guards?" Tatsuo asked.

"Mizukage is a big, ugly, muscular guy. Not heavily armed, probably specialized in close-combat. He is accompanied by two kunoichi who look like whores. Don't underestimate them just yet, they are heavily armed," Amaya added as Tatsuo snorted at the word "kunoichi."

"That is quite a detailed vision you have there," Obata noted suspiciously.

"They are close by, and they had quit moving to rest. I did get a pretty good image..." Amaya said what she hoped was convincing.

The secret behind her tracking ability must never be known. It would put both her and Kukyou in serious danger.

"They're moving again! We should set up an ambush. Remember the plan."

Tatsuo scowled at her orders, grumbling as they got moving. He was not yet out of his teens, and he still did not respond well to authority, especially from a little girl.

The targeted trio was unwittingly approached the Amaya's team. Kunai flew and clashed. Water dragons rose from the previously dry forest floor. Blood and chaos ensued. What was supposed to be a quick, silent assassination turned into a raucous scene of fighting. The Mizukage and his girls had more fight in them than the attackers expected.


	2. 第1章 Failure

第1章

Chapter One:

障害

Failure

七年前に

Still seven years ago:

The air was humid and heavy with the smell of blood and cadavers. Hatake Kakashi crouched silently and invisibly in the boughs of a tall tree. It was all he could manage to silence his heavy, labored breathing. Sixteen dead enemies littered the forest floor and branches. This was more than he bargained for. This was supposed to be a "break," a simple A-ranked espionage mission.

At only sixteen, Kakashi was already suffering the consequences of serving in Anbu Black-Ops for a significant length of time. He was exhausted, wounded, and hungry. His chakra was low and never fully recovered between missions, and neither did his cuts, bruises, or sore muscles. He was constantly on edge, always expecting the possibility of being killed at any second. The tension in his body grew relentlessly with each close encounter.

His social health was also in seriously bad shape, even though it was something he never really concerned himself with. He had been constantly sent away on solo missions for the past two years straight. What would he give for a lighthearted banter with Maito Gai! Then again, what was he thinking? Gai was always so annoying. Kakashi's mouth twitched to a grin. _I wonder what Gai is up to these days_, he thought nostalgically.

His musings were interrupted by a light swish and a thump as a kunai imbedded itself into the branch where he had been crouching a moment before. He winced and grabbed the fresh cut on his ankle. He was getting slow. He had to end this before things got worse. Kakashi threw multiple shuriken at his newest attacker. The unknown shinobi dodged quickly behind Kakashi and aimed a blow at the Copy Ninja's back. _This guy is fast._

Kakashi somersaulted and aimed a foot at his attacker's foundation. The shinobi jumped nimbly, landed on Kakashi, and promptly slit his jugular. There was a puff of smoke as a broken branch appeared where Kakashi's neck had been a split second earlier. The attacker suffered several swift slashes to his major arteries, and Kakashi was sprayed with a new layer of fresh blood. Agonizing screams escaped urgently as the wounded man fell to the ground in spasms. He lay there squirming, gasping, and twitching for bit and then fell silent and still. Kakashi was too weary to end the man's misery more quickly.

Shortly after the shinobi's death, Kakashi's tracking dogs returned with the welcome news that he had slain his last opponent. Kakashi sank to the ground in relief and nearly passed out in the growing pool of blood from the nearest dead shinobi. He wrinkled his nose in disgust and used his last ounce of strength to search the land for the nearest body of fresh water. After bathing unceremoniously in a stream three miles away from the massacre, Kakashi collapsed under the nearest tree. The sunlight sparkled through the leaves but did little to warm the shivering ninja. He curled into a fetal position to keep warm and finally dozed off.

He only managed half an hour of much needed rest before he was once again interrupted by the noise of conflict. He could not repress an audible sigh as he lifted himself to his feet while his muscles were in continual protest.

He paused and listened.

There were two voices. A raised, angry voice of a grown man and the screams of protest from a small girl. He approached the noise stealthily. He thought he had acquired as much information as possible from the mission, but perhaps there was something he had missed. As he approached, he noticed something was off. The voice from the man was foreign, in the unique language of the southern islanders. His thoughts were confirmed when he sneaked close enough to see the two clearly.

The man was a short, middle-aged shinobi with short, dark, thinning hair and a hitai-ate bearing the splashing symbol of the Sea Village. He was busying himself yelling and kicking at a child, a thinly-clad lump of skin and bone. _Thinly-clad because that man has been tearing off her clothes,_ Kakashi thought as a cold winter breeze caused branches to shiver. _If that child really is a girl and from THAT village, there's no way she's a kunoichi. _

Kakashi clenched his jaw as he saw the man lift the girl up by the collar of her shirt, scream at her in his incomprehensible language, and slapped her until her face bled. The man threw the helpless child to the ground and proceeded to rip what was left of her garments away, shoving his fist up her now naked, hairless groin. _Or he is a sick bastard messing with an innocent child._ With that thought, Kakashi leaped from his hiding spot and pushed the shinobi away from the child. The stranger's eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed with fury.

"What you want, Konoha shinobi, this no your business," the man snarled between his teeth in his best traditional Japanese.

"Oh but it is, as you are in the Fire Country," Kakashi spoke smoothly and slowly. "It is very much my business if you are abusing a helpless child in the noble land surrounding the Village hidden in the Leaves."

"May be Fire Country, but you stay out if you no want wrath of Sea shinobi!" The man drew two short blades, widened his stance, and breathed in and out heavily.

Kakashi sized the man up. He was dirty and slashed from a recent battle. His eyes were determined but Kakashi could sense the weakness in his chakra from exhaustion.

"Do you know who I am?" Kakashi challenged as he lifted his hitai-ate to expose his sharingan.

The Sea shinobi stared wide-eyed at Kakashi's eyes. _Perfect. A foreigner who is not familiar with sharingan genjutsu. _Kakashi burrowed into the man's mind and weaved the most damaging genjutsu he could with what strength he had left. Fortunately, it was enough. Kakashi's opponent was done for, and would be unconscious for at least a couple days. Kakashi himself was all but fainted, his chakra nearly depleted entirely. Any more fighting and, simply put, he would die.

He turned wearily to eye the child he just saved. She was a small, bony girl who looked about eight. Her eyes gazed at the ground, shrouded by a dirty, matted mess of bloodied dirty blonde hair. Shreds of clothing still clung to her pale body scattered with hideous bruises and patches of blood. _He was a sick bastard._ The child swayed and fainted into Kakashi's arms. He sighed and lifted her gently. They could both use a little rest and healing before returning to their respective homes. Correction, they both _needed_ a good rest!

* * *

><p>Amaya awoke to find herself naked under a blanket, warmed by a nearby fire. The night was lit by the enchanting orange glow of the flames. She sat up quickly, receiving waves of protest from the hurt places of her body.<p>

"Where are my clothes?" She mumbled to herself absently.

"Right beside you, or rather, what's left of them," answered a deep, silky male voice.

Before even glancing at the owner of the voice, Amaya grabbed her pants, the only thing recovered from her ravaged garments, and searched frantically for a weapon.

"So you are a young kunoichi. Not of the Sea Village, I suppose? Did you get in trouble with one of their shinobi? Or was he just being sexist, the way they are over there..."

Sexist? What did that mean?

"You do not need to worry, I am not going to hurt you or tell anyone," the stranger added.

Amaya noticed that she was clean, the blood and the dirt all washed away. She was too young to feel abashed at the realization, after all, she had nothing to expose. So, she wrapped her blanket closer around her, scooted up to the crackling fire, and looked her savior in the face and stared. His face was almost entirely covered by a mask and a hitai-ate, but the shock of silver, almost white hair was undeniably memorable.

She was flooded with emotions as she stared at her rescuer. She did not know whether to be happy or afraid. Amaya furrowed her brow and bit her lip. She dared not let herself hope that he really was who she thought he was...

* * *

><p>Kakashi watched curiously as the little kunoichi's pale, olive green eyes stared at his face without pause, unapologetically. Still, without saying a word, the child turned to her clothing on the ground, rummaged through a pocket, and pulled something out that appeared to be a small notebook. The girl hesitated, then placed the book in her lap and looked back up at Kakashi. Finally, she spoke.<p>

"If you knew I was a kunoichi, why help me? You should have known it was not your business," her Japanese was perfect, but Kakashi did not miss the hint of an accent. It was not her first language. Could she really be a kunoichi from the same village that did not let women fight?

"All I initially saw was a perverted shinobi molesting and beating a helpless child. Only after I had knocked him out did I realize you were a kunoichi," Kakashi spoke patiently.

"It was my just punishment for failing our mission, and my village will never let me back in."

"You are a kunoichi from the Village hidden in the Sea? Hmm. I didn't think they let girls fight. Also, I don't think they would punish you so severely for a failed mission attempt," Kakashi took advantage of the girl's current openness.

"I am from the Owatatsumi family. I am Amaya Owatatsumi. Fighting is what my family does. Why are you asking questions? Don't you have business?"

Kakashi met the girls big eyes wearily. Owatatsumi? The name sounded slightly familiar. "I am Hatake Kakashi, and I need to rest. I just killed seventeen shinobi by myself on already low chakra supplies," The young man put his hands behind his head and laid back against a tree trunk. "You may leave any time, but considering your injuries and the fact that you have no where to go, you may want to stay while we both recover, and you are certainly welcome to," Kakashi added kindly.

The girl hesitated. She surveyed scenery as if she were looking for somewhere to go to prove Kakashi wrong. Her eyes, however, were empty and hopeless. Finally, the child sighed.

"I will accept your generous offer," Amaya bowed her head towards the young adult shinobi. She really did have nowhere else to go.

Kakashi watched as the little girl pulled her blanket closely around her body and remembered she still needed clothes. He rummaged through his pack wordlessly and tossed her a spare black shirt.

"Thank you, Hatake-san."

Amaya slipped on her pants and the huge shirt innocently, still not concerned about exposing her tiny, child's body. Kakashi glanced at the child's mangled body, feeling sorely depressed once again over the harsh realities of the Ninja World.

* * *

><p>The kindness of the shinobi truly startled Amaya. Here he was, a perfect stranger, helping her and treating her like no one of her own village ever would. Like her father never would. She curled up under the blanket and slept.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author: <strong>I decided to split this chapter in half so readers could get more of an idea of what this story will be like (my writing style, characters, etc) before I finish some more. So, the next chapter will still take place Seven Years Ago (O.o). After that, we will travel to the "present," which is before team 7, where Amaya and Kakashi are all grown up.


	3. 第2章 The White Fang

第2章

Chapter Two:

**白い牙 **

The White Fang

七年前に

Still seven years ago:

Neither Amaya nor Kakashi woke before the sun was already sinking in the afternoon of the next day. Both awoke in a prison of pain and soreness. Kakashi passed out lumps of dense, dried travel food to silence their rumbling stomachs. Their meal passed without a word. Kakashi could sense that Amaya was deep in thought and sadness and did not wish to interrupt her. He gazed up at the clear sky and watched as two birds sang to one another gracefully. He nearly jumped in surprise when Amaya spoke brightly.

"I meant to show you something, Hatake-san," Amaya picked up the small notebook she had been clutching the night before and handed it to Kakashi. "Were you on a mission seven or eight years ago near the sea south of here?"

Kakashi accepted the notebook and opened it gently. He could not refrain from a light chuckle. "What is this?"

"Oh, sorry, Hatake-san. I drew that one when I was three. Please turn to the last picture, that one is the most recent."

Kakashi swallowed his laughing and turned from the disproportionate stick figure to the last page. The last drawing was at least a little comprehensible. There was an old man on the page with dark eyes and a warm smile. He wore a leaf shinobi hitai-ate and his white hair flew in sprouts of spikes from his head and joined at a ponytail in the back. Kakashi assumed that the smiling little girl at his side was Amaya. _What a strange girl_. He thought.

"Do I really look that OLD?" Kakashi cried in mock outrage. The picture really did shock him, however. He knew who the man in the picture was, though quality of the drawing certainly did not give it away. It was the smeared caption that went with it.

"I saw this man when I was a toddler, Hatake-san, and I cannot see most of your face. I am sorry," Amaya apologized sincerely.

"How do you know this man?" Kakashi asked.

"I saw him fighting- I mean, well... I am not really sure but I just remember that...he was, well..._different_, somehow, than anyone I have ever met. It was too long ago for me to remember why I was there I just, well, I am so sorry to waste your time Hatake-san!" Amaya babbled, flustered, and snatched the notebook back from Kakashi, blushing somewhat. "Please just go home now, I can take care of myself from now on."

"That man was my father," Kakashi watched curiously as Amaya gasped.

"Y-your father?" She stared at Kakashi wide-eyed.

"Yes," Kakashi sighed sorrowfully.

"I wish I could meet h- I mean- ask him why..." Amaya trailed off, blushing harder.

"He is dead."

Amaya's eyes widened again in horror. "Oh Hatake-san I am so so sorry!" She bowed to him repeatedly.

"No, please, Amaya-chan, stop," Kakashi patted her shoulder to comfort her. Amaya jerked back as if she had been burned. She was obviously unfamiliar with a _kind_ touch.

"Oh Hatake-san, I wanted to be like him! I wanted to know what a _friend_ was, and why he saved their lives! I made a mistake though, I made a mistake! T-t-tatsuo he... I thought I should help him... like that man did... I w-w-wanted to know what the f-f-feeling is," Amaya was sobbing profusely and this time did not jerk away when Kakashi rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "I-i could h-h. I had a shot at the M-m-mizukage... but T-tatsuo he... he was in trouble I thought... I thought if I h-helped him then I would under... understand w-w-why! B-b-but I didn't get the feeling... the feeling I felt from that man I... oh and Tats- he died- anyways!"

Amaya fell into Kakashi's arms, choking and sobbing.

"There there, now," Kakashi said awkwardly. He could not repress the sudden sorrow he himself experience as memories came back to him. _Obito... Obito and Rin...and father..._

"W-w-what was it, Hatake-san, what was your father thinking?" Amaya asked bluntly. She was only ten years old and did not know courtesy so well.

Kakashi breathed slowly as the little girl pulled away from him and stared at him. Amaya's babbling confused him, and his own melancholy feelings towards the past did nothing to clear his mind. Who the hell was this girl? How did she know of his father's failed mission? What was this feeling she kept speaking of? Kakashi stared off into space as he tried to make sense of everything. The child had obviously lived a tumultuous life so far. How should he speak to her? Amaya waited patiently, still staring at him and sniffling. _She has never experienced kindness before,_ Kakashi surmised. What about friendship? That seemed to be an important point. He sighed heavily. He was terrible in these kind of situations. He did not even know how to comfort his own pain. The only solution he could think of was honesty.

"I-I am so s-s-s-sory Hatake-san, you can go away if you want," Amaya started to cry again.

"No. I will tell you the story of my father, the White Fang of Konoha," Kakashi took a deep breath and gazed at a wisp of cloud through the trees. "He was a legend where I come from. A genius shinobi. No one could compete with him. Ever since I could remember, as a child I always strove to be just like him and at least as great a shinobi. However, his elevated status in my village was ruined after that battle. The one you witnessed. My father, Hatake Sakumo, was faced with a choice. The life of his teammates, or the success of the mission. He chose his teammates."

"But WHY?" Interrupted Amaya. "Why did he do that? The mission always comes first! Why did _I_ do it..."

Amaya trailed off as Kakashi waited patiently. Finally, he spoke slowly and solemnly. "In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum. This is true. But those who abandon their friends, those ninja are worse than scum."

* * *

><p>Amaya's mouth dropped open as she listened to the masked man's words. <em>There it is again. The feeling...<em> Amaya closed her eyes and mouth and let the strange, warm feeling wash through out her entire body, mind, and soul. She had never experienced this strange kind of ecstasy before. A smile played about her little pink lips.

"Those who abandon their friends... their friends...are worse than scum," she repeated breathlessly.

Amaya looked back up at the older shinobi. There was a strange look in his single eye that she was familiar with but could not put a name too.

"What are you feeling right now, Hatake-san," Amaya asked to herself more than Kakashi.

The ninja across from her nearly jumped, startled at the simple, innocent question. Amaya was equally surprised when he answered.

"I am feeling sad about the friends I have lost. All those who I was unable to protect."

Amaya stared at Kakashi, once again experienced the strange warm feeling, mixed with a touch of sadness. "I am sorry Hatake-san. I have never had a friend... a _friend, _like you have."

Both child and young man became drowned in their own inner thoughts and memories. The silence devoured what could have been an hour. At last, Amaya spoke shakily.

"Thank you. Thank you, Hatake-san, for teaching me the meaning behind the word _friend_. The meaning I have been searching for as long as I can remember." Her voice was so quiet that she could barely hear herself. "Thank you..."

* * *

><p>Hatake Kakashi and Owatatsumi Amaya parted the next day and would not meet again for seven entire years. The shinobi left the little kunoichi at a small, friendly village south of Konoha. The kunoichi insisted that she could take care of herself and that she would find work. The shinobi left her with a strange sense of sadness and nostalgia. The curious encounter left him ravaged by sorrow sentimentality, and he was anxious to get home and visit Obito and Rin. The kunoichi approached the new village with a feeling of hopefulness she had never known before. She would start a new life. She would never fight again. Who knows? She might even make a friend.<p>

* * *

><p>Amaya sighed contentedly as she walked through the quaint village in her new, local-style clothing. She was nearly frightened out of her pants when a villager bowed and greeted her politely, "Ohaiyou gozaimasu!"<p>

Amaya was visibly flustered. "Excuse me sir...um... do you know a place I could get work around here? I am very strong, though I may not look it. I will work very hard."

"Oh, what's this? Did you run away from home, little girl?" The villager laughed jovially. "Or are you just trying to save up money for a new toy? Well never mind, it's none of my business. Hmmm... I know Setsuko-chan has been looking for a hard worker around her restaurant."

"Oh thank you so much, sir! Where can I find Setsuko-san?" Amaya bubbled with joy. She had just arrived and already she had a job opportunity! She nodded eagerly as the villager gave her directions.

"Thank you, thank you so much, good sir! Sayounara!"

"Ah, Sayounara, little girl, and good luck to you!"

It was all Amaya could to to not sprint towards the location she had been directed to. She needed to keep her cool and appear mature and responsible. Her optimistic feelings were not dimmed by the thought of failure. After all, even if she was rejected by Setsuko-san, there would be plenty of other opportunities. The villagers seemed so genuinely friendly.

* * *

><p>"I am sorry, I am so sorry that I did not see the gift I had before it was too late," Kakashi spoke to the memorial stone. "If I had not been so arrogant, if I had understood the meaning of your words sooner... if only that were so, you would be here, Obito, you would be the great shinobi you always wanted to be." Kakashi let his hitai-ate absorb the single tear that escaped Obito's eye. He was breaking the rules, but no matter, the full, silver moon was the only witness. "Even in death, I still failed you. You loved her, you loved her like I never could. I promised to protect her, but even that I could not do." Kakashi dropped to his knees and buried his head in his hands. "I hated you, I hated you so much, but you were twice the shinobi I was! You were twice the shinobi I was because you cared for people! How could I not understand the basic principle of being a shinobi?" The hitai-ate became wetter as more liquid leaked from Obito's eye. "A shinobi exists because he cares for people! A shinobi exists to protect people, and to save lives! If not, then what else is there...what else is there?"<p>

* * *

><p>Amaya buried her face in the soft, black gown of Kukyou's fur. Kukyou yelped- She was shocked. Up until this moment, the relationship between the girl and the kitsune had been one of distant caution, both in fear of blackmail from one another and of endangering themselves and exposing the secret that bound the two together. Amaya pulled away and gazed at the three graceful, violet-tipped tails and looked into the fox's yellow eyes.<p>

"I've never realized how _beautiful_ you are, Kukyou..." Amaya whispered.

"That hardly matters. And don't say my name out loud!" Kukyou snapped. "Why the strange mood? I have never seen you like this, Amaya-chan."

"I have a job, and I never have to fight again. I never have to go home again! I will start a new life here! I might even make friends! People here are different than back home, Ku-, I mean, fox-spirit. I think I might be... happy..."

Amaya was not sure why exactly she was talking face to face with the kitsune like this. They usually just communicated telepathically, being connected physically and spiritually, and she got the work she needed done that way. But, this time was different. She would not be needing Kukyou to help her with her dirty work any more.

"Do not get your hopes up, little girl. Once a ninja, you are always connected to the ninja world. You cannot just leave, say Sayounara, and never expect to get involved in something ugly again."

"Oh, but don't worry, fox-spirit! I am good at hiding. I have experience."

"The sea shinobi are good at finding, they have experience."

"And I will never need to endanger you or me ever again because I won't be needing your services anymore!"

"I wish I could believe you..." Kukyou sighed. Nevertheless, despite their cold relationship she always felt a unique connection to the girl. She was different than the other humans. Then, as if cued on by her doubt, Kukyou felt a growing presence nearby. "Someone's coming, Amaya-chan, coming straight towards you."

Amaya leaped to her feet, her senses wide and alert. "Who?"

"A sea shinobi. I guess you will be needing my help, after all."

"No," Amaya said stonily. "This is my business, I will deal with him on my own."

"As you wish," Kukyou appeared to disappear, but she remained close by to watch. She did not want to admit it, but she was worried about the little girl.

Amaya widened her feet and raised her hands in a guard position. A shinobi bearing the splashing symbol of the sea on his hitai-ate strolled nonchalantly into her presence.

"Owatatsumi Amaya, your father wishes to see you," the man said coldly.

"And if I don't wish to come?"

"You will be taken to him."

"Very well."

"He has work for you to do."

"I have found my own work."

"That's too bad. You'll have to quit your new job cleaning shit-clogged toilets."

"Even if that were my work, it would be better than serving my father."

"You had better not be so insolent when you go to speak to him. He is already terribly unhappy with you."

"I could care less."

Despite knowing that at her level she would never be able to defeat the man, especially without weapons, she fought until the end, the image of the White Fang and his son burning in her mind.

* * *

><p><strong>Author: <strong>I do not need to apologize for the sentimentality of this chapter because, one, it is a flashback, and two, things are about to get quite bleak. On a second note, I have been writing a lot on this recently and I am really enjoying myself, however I have performances and school stuff to worry about, so it will be a couple of weeks before the next chapter is up.


	4. 第3章 Genjutsu and Lillies

第3章

Chapter three:

幻術と百合

Genjutsu and Lilies

今日

Present Day:

Amaya gasped lightly as the older man trailed his mouth down her long, delicate neck. The man let out a low, soft laugh and loosened the woman's kimono. Amaya giggled and squirmed as the man lifted the bottom of the kimono and trailed his fingers up her legs, burying his nose in her stomach.

"You're the rebellious kind, aren't you, little one?" The man drawled as he lifted his face back up to Amaya's.

Amaya nibbled the man's ear while she spoke. "Cover the windows and lock the doors and I'll show you just-" Bite. "how." Bite. "Rebellious." Bite. "I can be."

"Ohhh, you truly are the artisan!" The man chose not to control himself and instead pushed her down on the mattress as he pressed his groin between her legs. Amaya squeezed her thighs together and moaned.

"I must warn you, I am also a screamer," she whispered seductively in the man's ear. "Close the shutters unless you want to be found out."

The man ran his hands up her thighs and squeezed. He kissed her ravenously while groaning. "Fine, fine, fine!"

He lifted himself up and walked stiffly to the windows, covering and sealing them tightly. When the last opening was sealed, Amaya sneaked soundlessly towards the man and shoved him against the wall with her hips as he turned around. The man groaned softly.

"Why you sneaky little vixen," he hissed.

Amaya chuckled as she ran her fingers seductively up the man's inner thighs and chest, observing as he closed his eyes and opened his mouth. As she distracted him with one hand, she brought the other to her ear, open-handed and palm facing out. She focused her chakra and whipped the blade of her hand to the man's neck. Silence. The man slid slowly from the wall down to the floor, unconscious.

Amaya surveyed her work carefully. She sighed as she cleaned the red lipstick from the man's face and smoothed his thick brown hair gingerly. She straightened the blankets on the mattress and dragged the man's body to the edge.

Amaya glanced around the room and muttered to herself. "Now then, how shall you die?" She noticed a clean, sharp razor on a desk by a gold-framed mirror. Sitting next to it was a half empty bottle of sake. "Hmmm... Tonight it shall be... seppuku."

Amaya reached into her kimono and slipped on a thin pair of black gloves. She lifted the razor and sake bottle gingerly and brought them over to the unfortunate man. She slipped the handle of the razor into his palm and wrapped his fingers around it. She held his hand gently and knelt by his side almost as if to comfort him for his impending doom. Grasping the knife hand carefully, she twisted the man's arm at an angle so she could help him disembowel himself. Assisting him in the ritualistic suicide, Amaya sliced open his stomach, making sure not to spill any blood on herself. When enough of his internal organs slipped out of his body to satisfy her, Amaya opened the sake bottle and spilled some down his chest. Then, she slipped the bottle into his other limp hand and stood back to admire her handiwork. What she saw was satisfactory at the time; she was anxious to leave for her next destination—a place that had been in the back of her mind for a very long time.

Amaya left the man where he was and slipped away. A pool of blood soaked the fine, wooden floor around the man, a few drops running in the little rivulets along the wood grains. The great, powerful nobleman who drank himself to sleep every night finally could not go on living anymore.

* * *

><p>Sakkakugakure, often called "The Invisible Village," was located somewhere in an intricate web of genjutsu, a necessary precaution to protect the villagers' detached lifestyle. They prided themselves in their peace and mysteriousness. Their interests included life, beauty, and philosophy. Their hope was to continue life in uninhibited bliss and nonchalance. They hid their village from the eyes of others not only through illusion but through their lifestyle. They avoided attention and shunned power grabbing in an attempt to keep off the other villages' watch lists. However, there were some who had been watching them for quite some time...<p>

The location was a haven, protected by illusion and a small ninja force, but not it was not impenetrable. A skilled sharingan user would have the capability of reaching the village. Fortunately for the people of Sakkakugakure, the only sharingan users belonged to their ally, the Uchiha clan. Or so they thought...

A lone sharingan eye stared intently through the pitch black forest. The adjacent eye was shut tightly against the assaulting wave of genjutsu. Ninja dogs surveyed the area to ensure that no one followed. Hatake Kakashi was perfect for the job. In fact, no one else could be relied on. It had to be a solo run, and Kakashi was the only one who was swift, could penetrate the genjutsu, and ensure that he was not followed at the same time.

Thick brush and woodland flashed by as Kakashi leaped branch by branch. Great limbs and vines stretched their thorny claws in tangles towards him. He slipped past with agility and ease. Flashing bolts of lighting hurled debris and toppled trees to block his path. Kakashi squinted intensely. Discerning illusion and reality, even with his sharingan, was not easy. The Sakkakugakure shinobi were few, but they were no less than geniuses.

Kakashi came to a large clearing, landed on the ground, and ran. Suddenly, a black whirlpool formed as the ground was slowly sucked away. The masked shinobi breathed in sharply and attempted to backtrack as the grass fell away to reveal a deep ravine, but it was too late. This ravine was real, as were the rocky waters hundreds of feet below. Kakashi growled as the the rocks raced upward. He glanced behind him, but the wall of the ravine was too far away to reach. The sharingan glared desperately. _Was this the end...?_ He glanced again at the wall and then at the bottom. At this rate, he would have only ten seconds. He drew a kunai in each hand and focused his chakra through the palms of his hands, all while searching desperately for a handhold.

_There!_

A miniscule, jagged platform blurred into vision, previously overlooked by the sharingan. _Will it be strong enough? _ It did not matter. This was his only chance. He let his chakra flow over the blades of the kunai, then thought better, and tossed one away, choosing instead to mold the energy over his bare fingers in one hand. Hand and kunai struck the jutting ledge with immense force and speed. Kakashi held his breath as his fingers creaked and his body shuddered. The ledge snapped, but it was good enough. He could reach the wall now. He slid the rest of the way down and landed violently on his rear.

"Ah, how troublesome," Kakashi winced as he cradled his broken fingers.

He crouched for a moment, licking his wounds so to speak, and gazed up at the forbidding wall of sediment. It would be a gruesome climb back up to the path. A brown eagle circled the blinding sun overhead. It was high noon. He was late already. Also, something about this place was just not right. It was clear. Much too clear. Everything was solid. The rocks, the river, the fish. Kakashi's spirits sank. He suspected that he may have been led astray, only to end up tossed far outside the genjutsu's hemisphere. _The sharingan could not have failed!_ No conceivable technique was so powerful! Kakashi drew out his water flask and downed the liquid in one long swig. Such heavy use of his left eye drained him. If he could just lay back and rest for a little while, maybe half an hour, it would make all the difference. With a sigh of relief he closed his left eye cautiously. He then opened his right eye and stared lazily at his surroundings. It all appeared exactly the same. Just as he expected.

_ Damn it._

He groaned and let his right lid drop. Then he noticed it. A miniscule, all but invisible change in the surroundings. He grinned haughtily and shoved himself back onto protesting feet. Kakashi blocked his normal eye and revealed the sharingan to confirm his suspicions. _There it was again! _ A great tree root wound from the cracked wall on the opposite end of the ravine. It was no illusion, as his sharingan revealed, but what lay behind it was revealed by a weak illusion which showed only when the viewer ceased entirely to attempt to see through genjutsu.

Kakashi chuckled. This was a cleverness worthy of the Nara clan. The shinobi of Sakkakugakure thought numerous steps ahead. Any shinobi skilled enough to weave through the genjutsu would still be worn out near the end. So, one seemingly huge last effort was made to ward off trespassers with one powerful illusion causing shinobi to tumble into the ravine, ideally to their death. However, their death was by no means assumed to be unavoidable. The last trick consisted of a combination of physical and illusionary barriers. A tired shinobi would search desperately for some clue in the ravine. Furthermore, it was assumed that if a shinobi had gotten this far, he or she would be adept at dispelling illusions and would thus miss the illusion that actually _marked_ the entrance to the village, an entrance barred physically by the great tree root.

When Kakashi arrived inside the village, he was greeted by two hooded and masked ninja. His new faceless companions led him through the winding underground of the village. They stopped at an unimpressive sliding door, which led to an unimpressive room with a low wooden ceiling. Kakashi could feel the top of his silver hair dragging against the ceiling even though he was purposely bending his knees. The residents of this village were all several inches shorter than his height of about six feet.

The masked shinobi led him to a representative who was only five feet, five inches. His snow white hair, beard, and eyebrows gently encased his old, wizened face. Two cold, blue eyes stared from behind a pair of circular spectacles.

"Ah, Hatake Kakashi-sama, I was hoping they would send you," spoke Fusao Wakahiru, representative of the people of Sakkakugakure to foreigners. He bowed politely. "I have been waiting."

"I see. My apologies. Your defenses are even greater than I expected, so naturally even the sharingan was barely enough," Kakashi bowed back. "Now, how can I be of assistance?"

"Straight to the point, as always, Hatake-sama. Perhaps you would like to talk over a bowl of miso and a cup of tea? You seem quite put out."

"Oh. Yes, please."

The two sat in silence as they were served by a white robed woman.

"I understand there must be an extremely serious situation for your village to call me here in person," Kakashi drawled lazily.

"Mhmm," Fusao nodded grimly. "It seems one of our own from the outside has been taken out, and whoever did it disguised the murder."

Kakashi furrowed his brow. "They must not have done a very good job."

"On the contrary. It was a brilliant murder. We have little idea of who was behind it."

"What do you know?" Kakashi knew they would not have brought him here for just any murder. Something else was going on. A deep, long-term plot.

"I know that the only ninja in the vicinity of the murder were a pair of Leaf shinobi," two fierce blue eyes held Kakashi's gaze.

Kakashi was taken aback and slightly unnerved. Where was this going?

"They can't be to blame. Sakkakugakure is still under Konoha's protection," Kakashi spoke as smoothly as he could.

Fusao's eyes continued to bore into Kakashi's. "Now, do not jump to conclusions, sir. No accusations have been made. However, as a precaution we captured one of the shinobi."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"He gave no information despite our best efforts. However, I still have reason to suspect him," Fusao's eyes narrowed intimidatingly.

Kakashi chose to gulp down the rest of his miso soup rather than speak. It was quite delicious.

"We found one defining trait on the shinobi's body. A curse mark was on his tongue."

Kakashi choked. "It can't be!"

"Oh, but it is," Fusao spoke seriously. "You know better than anyone that he works by his own rulebook, independent of the Hokage. After all, he had his sights set on you when you were very young." Fusao waited patiently for the younger man to finish coughing.

"Is that why you brought me here?" Kakashi growled. "You suspect Danzo is behind this and you think I might have information because he once wished to recruit me?"

"Observant, as always!" Fusao's expressive eyes smiled, then narrowed once more. "However, it is not information concerning the recent murder that holds highest priority. It is _prevention._"

Kakashi sipped his tea in thought. It was true that Danzo often worked independently, but his motive was always present, and always _very_ strong. In addition, his motive was always what he believed to be for the greater good of the Leaf village. Furthermore, if Danzo was behind the recent murder, not even the Hokage would be aware. Another thing was certain. Danzo's plots were ruthless and carried out at the expense of many, often innocent, lives.

"You think he may be watching Sakkakugakure," Kakashi whispered.

"Mm. Not only watching, but _targeting_," Fusao added.

"But, this is all just speculation. After all, you said you had little idea who was behind this."

"Ah, but little is not nothing. The only shinobi in sight were two Leaf shinobi, one of whom was undoubtedly Danzo's subordinate. Furthermore, the style of the murder was suspicious of Danzo. It was a perfectly staged suicide. Seppuku, more specifically," Fusao slurped his tea and gazed wearily at Kakashi. "What we need as soon as possible is _confirmation_. Then _action_. I was hoping Konoha and the Hokage would cooperate in this investigation..."

Kakashi nodded slowly. He was not knowledgeable in the details, but he was aware that the Leaf village was some how indebted, somehow _obliged_, to protect Sakkakugakure. And, this sort of position was loathsome to Danzo. He would most likely try to mend it.

Fusao smiled gently and bowed. "Now, if you will study and return this scroll to your Hokage, I will be most grateful."

"Right away."

* * *

><p>Amaya adjusted her last hairpiece and examined herself in the mirror. An empty, white-painted face reflected off the smooth surface. Two large, green eyes were embedded in the face like frozen gems. Her ebony brown hair was done not too elaborately but not casually. Amaya barely remembered having naturally blonde hair, a strange trait that was seldom seen in the Village Hidden in the Sea. Either way, blonde hair was unacceptable for a geisha. Especially a geisha who must look <em>normal<em> so she can commit acts of murder and espionage.

Amaya looked once again at her unusual face. _It's a wonder I manage to pull off being a geisha_, she thought. _I'm not pretty enough, though I supposed being caked in paint and hair-dye does the trick well enough_. She did have a few quirky features, such as a thin, prominent nose and a high and wide forehead, but overall she appeared delicate and feminine enough. So, Amaya willfully melted her icy olive eyes, crinkled her lids and smiled courteously. It was time to greet the guests.

Her mission was simple and generic. Check out the status of the Hidden Leaf Village during the current Summer festivities and note any information overheard concerning a certain "invisible village." Her top priority, however, was to bring absolutely no attention to herself. Her disguise was _perfect_. She had excelled through every part of geisha training. No one would be able to tell the difference because she _was_ a geisha. Either way, to have her identity compromised by anyone was unacceptable. She learned that the hard way.

When Amaya entered the house she was barraged by jovial laughter and clanking sake bowls. She scanned the area, smiling warmly and greeting courteously. She needed to find the important fellows to converse with. She delved enthusiastically into conversation with a high-class man in his fifties.

All the while, Amaya tried to stow away the old feelings she had for this particular village. Seven years passed since she had been taken back to her own. She had grown stronger and carried out numerous delicate missions. But, she knew that the higher-ups in her village did not completely trust her. This was evident by their lack of providing background information and the reasons for her escapades. In return for their mistrust, Amaya harbored a secret independence. Deep down she longed for her own purpose in life, but this longing was too often shrouded in bitterness and hopelessness. Especially after the incident that took the life of Natsumi, her only friend.

Suddenly, a quartet of Leaf ninja entered the house. Amaya suppressed her nervousness proficiently and watched them coolly out of the corner of her eye. A funny looking man in a green jumpsuit sporting a gargantuan grin. A big, smoking shinobi escorting a blacked-haired red-eyed kunoichi. And...

Amaya's heart stopped. She turned around quickly and smiled as best she could at the man who was speaking to her. The hairs on the back of her painted neck prickled. Of all the people in Konoha _he_ just_ had_ to be here.

"Ah, you three, you know I'm not really into these festivities..." Kakashi's smooth, clear voice carried across the room.

"You will only be young once, my eternal rival!" Amaya assumed it was the grinning jumpsuit man who shouted.

"Are you alright, pretty one?" Amaya barely heard the man next to her speak.

"Yes, sir, forgive me. I have the sudden the urge to play you a song. Excuse me," Amaya bowed gracefully.

"Brilliant! That is exactly what this place is missing! Some good music!"

Amaya slipped away into a back room and breathed slowly. _Calm down calm down calm down._ He was just another shinobi, one she had merely had a conversation with several years ago. Nothing important. _Playing music will calm me, it always does_. Amaya snatched her shamisen and bachi and marched bravely back into the fray.

Amaya sat lightly on a rug near the center of the room. More eyes fell on her as she tuned her instrument. She nodded and smiled at various individuals, including the jumpsuit man who was watching her excitedly. She laid the shamisen across her lap and lodged the bachi in her right hand.

"Itsuki no Komoriuta!" Amaya announced the tune she would play in a dramatic, sing-song voice.

Her audience applauded as she began. The twanging of the three-stringed shamisen reverberated off the wooden walls. The small crowd continued to chatter softly under the music. Amaya smiled and closed her eyes. Music was perhaps the only thing in life she could enjoy a little.

* * *

><p>Kakashi sat on the floor, closed his eye, and listened. The music was actually quite good. He had initially protested when Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai dragged him here. His apparent grim and sarcastic personality was not attracted to festivities. Kakashi sighed lazily. A sake bowl appeared under his nose.<p>

"No thanks, Gai."

"Don't be so hip, Kakasheeeee!" Gai waved the clear liquid tantalizingly in Kakashi's face. Kakashi rolled his eye and pushed Gai's arm away.

When the geisha had finished playing her attendant took away her instrument for her. She stood up and bowed for the appreciative audience. As she slipped past Kakashi caught the sweet scent of lilies. He smiled curiously as the young woman turned to speak to Gai.

"And you must be one of the courageous warriors who protect this village," she spoke, smiling at the hitai-ate around Gai's waist.

Kakashi breathed in the scent of lilies deeply and examined the geisha lazily.

"Only the best and the most full of youth!"

Kakashi zoned out as Gai praised himself and proceeded to disclose their one-sided rivalry to the smiling geisha. She was lovely but rather odd in appearance and her eyes...

Kakashi slipped away from the festivities early. He strolled around the village for a couple of hours, then headed out to the memorial stone. When he arrived he was surprised to find that he was not alone.


	5. 第4章 Death's Eve

第４章

Chapter Four:

死の前夜に

Death's Eve

A light breeze loosened the leftover Summer pollen and distributed a layer of powder over the small mountain. The stifling evening heat thickened as the breeze dissipated. The pygmy mountain could not reach over the hot, dry atmosphere that had smothered the land far south of Konoha. A slab of rock grasped for the countless constellations that twinkled above. The bright moon reflected off a kitsune's shiny, enlarged pupils as she pawed through her precious scrolls. She pointed her nose high as a stronger wind picked up and brought fresh senses to her olfactories. An intolerable quantity of dust entered her nostrils and she yelped a sneeze. She sighed and dipped the tip of one of her tails into a bowl of black ink. The violet-tipped tail swept gracefully over the open scroll, weaving intricate symbols and characters starting in the center and working out. An hour passed and the black ink smothered the parchment in careful detail. The kitsune sat back and appraised her work. Maybe she would have time to finish this one tonight.

But, just as she added more ink to her tail, it came. The telltale interruption in her quiet mind. The unwelcome, uncomfortable noise. Kukyou growled. What sort of trouble was Amaya in this time? The call was pleading and urgent. The kitsune reached to clean her tail in the water bowl, but the girl did not allow. Kukyou was dragged through the void against her will. She growled in frustration as she could still feel the present uncleanliness on the end of her soft tail. The journey through the void was turbulent and rushed. Kukyou barely had enough time to gather her dear scrolls together without damaging them irreparably. The first time in months that she had managed to keep a little time for herself that was not filled with endless fatigue was yanked away mercilessly.

Times were rough.

Directly after the time when Amaya attempted to run away, she had been intentionally kind to Kukyou and treated her like an only friend. Ever since the girl had been taken back to her village of birth she had plenty of struggles to fight through, but before the _incident_, she had always managed to give Kukyou enough space to keep her content. The kitsune grew slightly attached to the human and almost thought of her as a daughter.

_After_ the incident, however, everything changed. Through the past four years the girl had grown steadily more and more insufferable. Her demands on Kukyou were heavy and she was seldom polite about it, issuing unsolvable threats whenever necessary. Amaya was domineering and relentless. She was obsessive, selfish, and rude.

And she was wearing out the kitsune's patience. The kitsune did not appreciate being pushed around by a spoiled little girl who was her junior by centuries. If that girl kept up her tyranny, Kukyou would be no less than a slave.

* * *

><p>Amaya removed the pins from her hair and let it dangle in waves over her shoulders. She loosened her kimono and let it fall to the floor. Even in her locked back bedroom, the noise of the cleaning and clattering after the festivities infiltrated her ears. <em>Disgusting pigs<em>, Amaya allowed her pretentious mind to take over._ Sake, sex, and money runs their lives. Selfish fools._ She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to herself. She was naked, and despite being alone she felt self-consciously exposed. She felt a burning urge on her back. She could feel the mirror behind her blazing an image of her nude form. _Don't look, Amaya, it doesn't matter_.

Amaya turned around and looked anyways. She intentionally turned her eyes to her hair that was draped messily and alluringly over her small, bare shoulders. She gave a phony smile to try to improve the picture. As her eyes traveled downward, however, she bit her lip and frowned. _I could sure lose some of that belly_. Amaya sucked in and held her stomach in her arms. It was true that her belly was not completely flat, after all she ate like a teenage boy. She scowled at the excess softness on her hips. _Lucky for me the fancy kimono covers that up._ Finally, worst of all, Amaya tingled uncomfortably in her chest area, a gaping absence of what she wished was there. _If I didn't have such small breasts, maybe I would have charmed a strong enough husband to take me away from all of this._

Amaya groaned aloud as she felt metaphysical walls shrinking around her, squeezing what little freedom to move she had left. She wrapped her arms around and hugged herself tightly, sinking to the floor. She violently yanked a nearby drawer open and slipped into her loose black clothing. _Much better, but still. . ._ Amaya stood up, chewing on her mouth and her brow tensed. Her legs and fingertips tingled restlessly. The texture of the bamboo wall beckoned invitingly. She walked hastily to the opposite corner of the room and let the index and middle fingers of her right hand rest on the cool surface. She relaxed the strangling tension in her face and smiled ever so slightly. Tracing her fingertips along the smooth yet bumpy wall, she paced to the other side of the room. A dresser barred her way, but she was able to walk past while still keeping contact with the wall if she walked on her tip toes. The added effort made the exercise all the more satisfying.

Back and forth she paced, her fingers lightly thumping along the bamboo surface.

_._ Pause. Turn around. Repeat. _Thumpthumpthumpthump. . . _

Amaya proceeded methodically with the calming repetition for several minutes until she could force herself to quit comfortably. She plopped down on the edge of her bed, not feeling the least bit like sleeping. _What should I do what should I do what should I do. . . _Her thoughts repeated. _Hmmmmm._ . . Empty. Void. Nothingness. _Hmmmm. I just have to get out of this damned room._ It was risky, as she was bound to an errand of absolutely uneventful secrecy, but at this moment no order nor law could prevent her from getting what her animal side wanted. Fresh air and open skies. Temporary physical freedom, since complete freedom from her captors was as of yet out of reach.

Amaya slipped out of her window and jumped lightly across a few rooftops when she was certain she could not be seen. She paused and leaned against a cold chimney, cursing quietly. She had left her makeup on, but there was no way she was going back into that cursed house. So, Amaya continued on her way, stealthily enough to be unidentifiable at the least. This village was crawling with ninja. One more traveling along the rooftops would probably be ignored. Amaya ran until the buildings thinned out into grass and trees.

Amaya was strolling calmly through nature and enjoying her false freedom when she discovered the memorial stone. The polished, geometrical sculpture was enchanting and mysterious in the starlight. It held a certain power, a certain spiritual tension and fullness, as if lost and hopeless souls had spent many a day there in turmoil and sadness, shunning the palpable world of the living for that of the dead which could only be felt as a smoky haze of ineffable emotion.

Beginning in no particular order, Amaya squinted to read the names in the moonlight. She recognized some notable clan names, primarily Uchiha. These were the names of shinobi. After glancing over the seventh Uchiha, Uchiha Obito, she stopped. The Uchiha were essentially extinct. Most likely all the shinobi on the stone were dead. It was obviously a high honor to be on the stone; many famous (or infamous) ninja were listed there.

Amaya's mind lit up. She bent to her knees and peered closer, searching frantically through the countless names, starting over from the first chronologically.

_ Hyuuga Koichi_,_ Sarutobi Kazuhiro, Hashirama Yojiro, Akizuki Kimiko, Hyuuga Ume . . . _

Twice, she passed a member of the Hatake clan and her heart skipped a beat. But, the one she searched for was not there. No Hatake Sakumo. Amaya scowled, stood up, and crossed her arms. _Minato Namikaze_. The names were in chronological order, and the Kyuubi incident occurred right after she met Hatake Kakashi and learned that Hatake Sakumo was dead. Sakumo was simply not there.

Amaya grimaced again and furrowed her brow. It was all a lie, an insidious story and feeling she was impressed with at a young age. This "White Fang" probably did not even exist. That Hatake Kakashi was liar and a spy.

Amaya slouched back, facing the shiny memorial and pouting. Then, suddenly, a low, silk noise tickled her ear.

"Konban wa, my lady."

Amaya started genuinely at the polite greeting. How could she have overlooked the ninja's approach? _Damn it. _She rose agilely to her feet, turned around, and smiled shyly, trying to calm her furiously beating heart. "Ohaiyou gozaimasu..." she giggled nervously, playing the mischievous geisha escaped from her polite, social prison.

"Ah, yes, it is very early. Too early in the morning for someone like yourself to be out alone," Hatake Kakashi spoke smoothly with a devious lift in his visible eyebrow.

The smile vanished from Amaya's face in an instant; she misinterpreted the small gesture. _He's just like all of _them, Amaya thought._ I was a foolish little girl to think he was any different. He probably just wants to take me back to his room, have his way with me, then never speak to me again. HA! Like that will ever happen. Either way I'm not pretty enough for a man to want me back a second time, so why go the first?_

"Is something wrong?" The masked shinobi cut off her inner soliloquy. "Would you like me to walk you back to the place you are staying? Don't take this the wrong way, but wandering about at this hour and in your... set up might cause men take you for something you are not."

Amaya had been feigning fear during her thoughts, and now she projected a sense of relief to the shinobi. She was an actress. That was her prowess. But, this shinobi was good. Really good. She had better not try anything too risky. Fortunately, though, due to obvious factors the man did not seem to recognize her from their first meeting.

"Oh, well, yes, you're right," Amaya let her eyes fall to the ground and grinned sheepishly. "I just... wanted some fresh air... you know... having to entertain so many demanding folks..."

"I see. You found the memorial stone. Does it strike any particular interest with you?"

"Well, I just came across it by accident. It's impossible to miss, though. It made me start thinking... never mind... I mean, what exactly does the memorial represent? I know it lists shinobi but what did they do to get their names carved?" Amaya chastised herself. Why was she initiating conversation with the man? She needed to cease their interaction as quickly as possible. But she did not want to. Deep down in the recesses of her mind there was a hidden spark of hope for the existence of the virtue she convinced herself so many years ago that he possessed.

"They were killed in action," the masked man breathed softly and reverently.

"Willingly?" The word was out before her mind was aware. "Oh, excuse me."

Kakashi observed her curiously. She was a strange woman indeed. He had never spoken to a geisha before, although he was aware that some went through painful separations and sequestering, trained to entertain yet stay reserved, trained to converse energetically and remain unattached, and lead an overall lonesome lifestyle.

"They chose to die defending the village and home they love, if that's what you mean," he replied slowly.

Amaya stuck her bottom lip out, crossed her arms, and narrowed her eyes at the memorial stone. "But _why_? It's just a place!"

_Sounds like a spoiled brat. _ Kakashi thought.

"Just curious... I never had a choice about anything," Amaya did not try to hide the childish bitterness in her voice.

Kakashi sighed and rolled his eyes. "They had friends and family here to protect, you know."

"Ha! Friends just make you weak! They cloud your mind with lies and later with revenge and sadness when they are gone! It's probably a lot more detrimental to you shinobi. You and your village would probably be a lot better off without shinobi caught under the illusion of friendship," Amaya chanted haughtily, pouted her lower lip out, and paused to let silence swallow the two.

Kakashi was stony. She should not have said anything. It was not that he had noticed who she really was, no, it was not that. It was something else. His icy demeanor chilled the very blood in her veins.

"Come. I'm escorting you back to your house," the masked man commanded, cracking the black hole of frozen silence.

"Of course," the geisha replied courteously and stepped towards the shinobi.

Amaya saw the kunai slice towards her in slow motion, apparently conjured out of thin air. The aim was on her throat, a fatal blow but easy to avoid. Her muscles involuntarily wrenched her inches to the side. The knife slid through her hair, leaving it curiously unaffected. She followed the kunai's flight path from the corner of her eye and saw it disappear either into the darkness of night or to nonexistence, she was not sure which. She turned her eyes back onto her assailant, and without looking into his eyes she noted that his hitai-ate was lifted. She strategically lowered her eyes away from the dangerous sharingan. Only after her uncontrollable reflexes set the battle situation did Amaya notice what had just happened.

"How... you..."

"Hmmm? Yes?" drawled the masked ninja.

Amaya was frozen, yet a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead and cheek, then another down the back of her leg, causing her to shiver. "How long have you known?" she croaked.

"You just showed me," Kakashi spoke smugly. The two ninja eyed each other up and down cautiously. "Besides, every civilian has been ordered to stay indoors from dusk till dawn due to recent _killings_," Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the young woman. "This festival day was an exception. Still, there is no way an ordinary geisha could have slipped past the patrolling shinobi who have been ordered to confine civilians in a certain area and keep them out of harm," the masked ninja sighed lazily. "I don't want to hurt you and if you come with me willingly for questioning that won't have to happen."

_The prick thinks he's got me._ "Tss!" Amaya scoffed.

Kakashi made the first move, weaving hand signs in quick succession. Amaya did not hesitate; as soon as she saw him reach to make the first sign, she slipped directly in front of him, ducked down low, and swept her foot high between his arms. This technique succeeded about ninety percent of the time in preventing the execution of ninjutsus. Kakashi disappeared above her and sent a ball of fire from above. He was, obviously, one of the ten percent who could evade her attack while simultaneously finishing the hand signs. Amaya rolled backwards, grimacing as her elbow knocked against a tree trunk. Her hands flew wildly as she recovered to her feet.

There was another fireball racing her way. A roaring water dragon sprang from the dry ground, catching the fireball in its jaws and annihilating it. A second water dragon sprouted from behind Kakashi and chomped on Amaya's dragon's neck. There was a roar of pain as the first water dragon exploded. Kakashi's dragon reared its head and made its way for the kill. Amaya slipped behind the tree. Water crashed and shone brightly as it hovered in midair under the moonlight, then fell to the ground, drenching the battling ninja.

The geisha ambushed Kakashi from behind, and he whirled around to land a fist in her solar plexus. The water clone dissolved and drenched his arm. The real Amaya landed a kunai straight through his chest. The masked ninja dissolved into water as well, further saturating her already clinging clothes.

Amaya grinned. _Copy Ninja Indeed, good thing I prepared for this-_

Amaya gasped as a heavy weight fell on her stomach and chest. She stabbed wildly with kunai in both her hands, but her wrists were locked in hands of steel. She flailed wildly against the warm, damp body attempting to suppress her. The weight grew heavier and closer, and an odor of sweat and something else filled her nose. She drew her knee up, attempting to strike between the masked shinobi's knees. He brought his leg up faster and pressed his hip down to immobilize her legs. Amaya made one last desperate effort by closing her eyes and slamming her head forward. Her forehead struck metal, making her dizzy. The metal on the hitai-ate pressed her against the ground. The copy ninja had control of each one of her limbs and now her head. His face was less than an inch from hers. Hot, heavy breathing blew on her face. Warm thighs and body pushed against her. Amaya felt even dizzier. She could feel heat rising to her cheeks that was not a result of physical exertion.

"I had friends, once, and I lost them all," Kakashi growled through his teeth. "Perhaps you had none. But look, I'm _stronger_ than you. _And_, I still care about everyone in my village."

* * *

><p>"How did she escape?" Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, said, exhaling a cloud of smoke.<p>

Kakashi leaned against a pillar and stared out the window. _"Hatake-san," the geisha whispered and smiled, her big, gray-green eyes sparkling, white, black, and red makeup drooling down her face. Another pair of eyes appeared, violet eyes. A darkness spread beneath the two of them, swallowed the girl, and left him kneeling on the empty grass. The only trace of the woman __that remained was a faint smell of wet lilies. _"I'm guessing it was some sort of summoning technique, although I never saw her make the seals."

"Hmmm... Do you think she is somehow connected to the recent homicides and perhaps even the threat to Sakkakugakure?"

"Perhaps, though I wouldn't be too hasty to say so. There is something about her. I have met her before," Kakashi slipped his hands in his pockets, stared at the ceiling and sighed.

"Oh?" Sandaime took his pipe out of his mouth and set it on his desk.

Kakashi continued staring upward for several minutes while the Hokage waited patiently.

_Hatake-san...Thank you..._ Kakashi tensed his brow impatiently.

"You have one of the best minds in all Konoha, Kakashi. I trust you to remember exactly what happened," the Hokage cleared his throat and jabbed the pipe back between his thinned lips.

"I met her around the time the Kyuubi attacked, that is why it is difficult to remember. But, now that I have established that fact, it is all coming back to me," Kakashi recounted the events concerning his meeting with Amaya seven years ago.

"Owatatsumi, eh? You're certain that was her name?" the Hokage looked grim.

"Yes, sir."

"So, the Sea Country is involved, somehow, perhaps."

"During my first encounter with her, she planned on running away from her village, so she is not necessarily working with them," Kakashi drawled.

"Mmm. But you see, the Owatatsumi family would _never_ let one of their own escape their iron grasp. They are the highest noble clan of the Sea Country. She may have abilities you, or maybe even I, have never seen before."

"I see. I thought I might also mention the strange mark I noticed on her tongue"

"Oh?" The Hokage leaned his elbows on the desk, puffing away pensively.

"It bore a remarkable resemblance to the seals on the tongues of _his_ men," Kakashi said grimly.

"I see. But, that is still not enough information to make a decisive conclusion," Sandaime closed his eyes and entered his own personal flashback to the times he spent with Danzo in their youth. _The fool_, he thought, smiling ever so slightly. Then, he frowned and spoke severely to the masked shinobi. "Kakashi! We will keep this event strictly confidential, for now! We especially do not want Danzo catching a wiff of anything going on. Now, go rest and think over everything that has happened carefully! We will meet again at seven O'clock sharp. Do _not_ be late!"

"Yes, sir." Kakashi nodded and disappeared. _Seven? That only gives me two hours to rest! The old man is getting serious._

* * *

><p>Kakashi surveyed the aftermath of the massacre. Two weeks had passed since his fight with Amaya and the meeting with the Hokage. Work had only grown more difficult and events more severe. Now, Kakashi was staring at the dead body of an infant, impaled in the forehead by diamond-shaped shuriken. Half of the mother's body lay over the infant and the other was god knows where. Blood soaked the garden, poisoning the once good vegetables. An adolescent boy lay next to a slaughtered oxen. The boy's head was missing. The house up the hill was still burning.<p>

_Why did _I _have to come across this while patrolling? How troublesome_, Kakashi thought as he sped up the hill to investigate the remains of the household. He wanted to look into the Hidden Sea village. That is what _should_ be done. The source of the endless string of homicides must be found and destroyed if it was ever to end. As of yet, however, the danger looming over the people of Konoha, Sakkakugakure, and the surrounding friendly villages could not be left alone. Every last shinobi was busy. There was simply no time to investigate the Sea Country. _Perhaps that is too convenient of a coincidence,_ Kakashi thought,_ or perhaps that is what Danzo wants us to think, or perhaps the coincidence in convenient for him, not the Hidden Sea Village._ _After all, the Sea Country leaders could have been suspicious of Danzo, thus the reason for sending the undercover geisha..._ It was too fuzzy to come to any stable conclusions. Nothing made any sense. But that woman, he _needed_ to see and speak with her again. That was certain.

Kakashi summoned powerful waves of water to smother the already dying flames. _This was a hasty job. _Kakashi hoped for a clue, some tiny morsel of information, anything to give him and his comrades a direct target.

When the fire was out, he entered the deserted house. It was the home of a chemist and his family. All the lab equipment, chemicals, glassware, etc, however, was nowhere to be seen. The house had been quickly cleared before the arson ensued. Kakashi summoned his favorite ninja dogs and together they swept every nook and cranny, so to speak. His very favorite, Pakkun, fortunately tread on a loose floorboard, and thus the team uncovered the jackpot—the chemist's diary. The ashy book was still mostly intact.

"Watch out, Kakashi, could be a trap," Pakkun growled.

Kakashi uncovered his sharingan, opened the journal gingerly, and skimmed through the first few tediously boring entries. Then, he encountered what he was looking for.

_June 15__th__, Year of the Ox:_

_ The bandaged man, Danzo they call him, has been giving me an unusual amount of business as of late, and an increased amount of pressure. He demands that I have the formula by next week! And his men, they are always checking in, crawling around, and speaking of the strangest things. Curse his shinobi! Treating us skilled civilians, especially me, like working animals! Anyways, I overhear them discussing the queerest of things. Invisible cities, magical powers, all that horrible stuff that makes no sense to me! Ah, the world would be all the better with just _science_, and no damned _ninjas_! But, I digress. One thing I secretly uncovered today _did_ make sense to me. A subversive plot to-_

The journal caught fire just then. The whole house began to catch fire again. Kakashi dropped the book now turned to ashes and evacuated the house. They were more thorough than he had initially thought. The house and its remaining contents were set to catch fire once again upon inspection.

Anbu reinforcements arrived shortly, seizing the situation and dispelling the technique. Kakashi stared regretfully at his ashen, empty hands. He had managed to save the front few pages of the journal, useless except for performing necessary dating and handwriting tests. They had not learned anything that they did not already suspect. Even so, the skilled perpetrators managed to leave a curse seal over the area generically affecting any information uncovered. Kakashi could not say a word about the journal or what he read, and shortly found himself surrounded by fuinjutsu experts and Yamanaka Inoichi. Nevertheless, they were unsuccessful and needed to do more research before they could dispel the seals on copy ninja's tongue.

"Obviously, we have reason to believe our killer is targeting those with important information concerning the plot and the plotter," the Hokage spoke to a group of Anbu, including the captain, and Kakashi. "Therefore, Kakashi, you will be surrounded and watched by Anbu until we can draw out the information from you."

"Until then, we cannot have you die," the Anbu captain spoke sternly to Kakashi.

_Until then?_ Kakashi sighed. He always got the feeling that the Anbu captain disliked him. "I understand," he said.

* * *

><p>Kakashi feigned cooperation. Only he knew, and only he would be able to know at this time that he had not uncovered any really useful information. The enemy had all the information, and the enemy was not going to show any face while nearly half a dozen Anbu were stationed around his quarters.<p>

Kakashi slipped into a hot, steaming shower, humming loudly. Quietly, he formed the seals for a shadow clone and slipped out, drying himself hastily. The Kakashi in the windowless bathroom dressed quickly, and the other left the steaming bathroom in only a towel. The naked Kakashi strolled right by the window where a gossipy, female Anbu stood guard. He took _Icha Icha Paradise_ off its shelf and plopped down on his bed, all the while covering his maskless face with the open volume. He felt the Anbu kunnoichi's eyes on him. He lowered the book, tantalizingly revealing a little more of his nose and cheeks, all the while humming nonchalantly.

The real Kakashi slipped noiselessly past the distracted Anbu and put some distance between them. Meanwhile, the shadow clone closed the blinds, still burying his face in _Icha Icha Paradise,_ much to the female Anbu's disappointment, crawled into bed and vanished.

* * *

><p>"We have a new target," spoke the Owatatsumi clan leader. "It will require a <em>team<em> effort, so reject your personal feelings and do as you are told!"

"Yes, sir!" the group of four chimed in simultaneously.

"And my daughter, Owatatsumi Amaya, you will go as a ninja, so forget that foolish dress-up act of yours."

Amaya nodded, slightly peeved. She secretly enjoyed the art of being a geisha. Music, attention, and faked beauty. That is what she liked.

"You all may have heard of this man before. It is said that he has copied, yes_ copied_, over a thousand jutsu..."

* * *

><p><strong>Author<strong>: Whew! Sorry! That took me a while!


	6. 第5章 Independence

第5章

Chapter Five:

独立

Independence

The pure white Sun blazed against Kakashi's unkempt silver hair, heating it like a skillet. He winced as he ran his hand through his hair and let a droplet of sweat tickle his right temple. The air was still and the sky remained cloudless, taunting his misery. Shade did not exist in the crop field, but safety from ambush did. Kakashi was forced to sit several feet away from the seductive wall of trees close by. _Hatake Kakashi indeed,_ the ninja mused. _I really am like a scarecrow in a field._

The cicadas hummed almost deafeningly in the stationary Summer heat. Kakashi admired how the insects chirped in such a perfectly unified crescendo, creeping upward steadily in volume until their wings seemed to simultaneously run out of breath and their chorus would die away as a graceful _ZREEeeeeeeee..._ On occasion, one of the cicadas would end its singing and "ZREeee..." off too early, or would continue humming its wings for a split second longer than the others. Kakashi wondered how few people had actually taken the time to appreciate the talent of this species of insect choir and if anyone else found their rare stumbler as amusing as he did.

Despite the uncomfortable heat, the tickling sweat trailing down the back of his neck, and the noisy insects the scarecrow remained alert in his field. They could arrive at any moment. It was probable that they would wait until nightfall to strike, but the lone shinobi would not put it past his pursuers he assumed to exist to strike in broad daylight. Especially if they were the daring, cruel, and ingenious crop of Danzo.

_Crop, heh,_ Kakashi thought. _We are just like crops, aren't we? Cultivated at a young age, sometimes altered or engineered to behave how our superiors wish, the lesser shinobi weeded out by them or killed during tough times of drought, or, more appropriately, war._

Kakashi sighed lazily and gazed boredly at the uniform blue ceiling. He wondered absently how he would justify his blatant disobedience to the Hokage's orders, then decided that probably would not be necessary. He was really on a suicide mission. But, this was also a one and only chance to possibly identify the killers and prevent more murders of innocents. This was the only way to draw them out, but he could not divulge this convincingly to the Hokage because of the curse seal on his tongue. As far Kakashi's superiors knew, he held crucial information. However, he had learned nothing of consequence.

If he manage to elude death this time, he would beg for the Hokage's forgiveness.

…...

_Kukyou, are you busy? I have a surprise for you._

_ What? In trouble again already?_

_ No. Just tell me, are you busy,or can you spare a moment?_

_ Hmph. I wouldn't have a choice even if I were busy!_

_ Well right now you do! I have a nice surprise! _

_ Fine. Just show me what it is!_

Kukyou entered the vacuous void, the element she held mastery over. She let herself be yanked through towards the one she was bound to. Amaya. The girl was strangely apologetic after their last encounter. Kukyou was rightfully suspicious. But, the surprise that awaited her washed away all immediate cynicism.

As the kitsune left the void, she was engulfed in pleasantly hot and fragrant waves of bathwater. She wallowed, romped, and splashed in ecstasy as the hot water cleansed her filthy fir and eased her weary bones and the thin, cooler mountain air spiked with sulfur refreshed her sensitive nose.

"Kyou, you know it is rude to splash the water in an onsen!" Amaya cried in mock dismay.

"I don't know what sort of freak disease is consuming you, girl, but as long as you act like this as a result, I don't care!" Kukyou sighed as Amaya giggled.

The kitsune calmed and collected herself, crouching down and dipping her three thick tails into the not-too-hot spring. "In all seriousness, though, what favor are you trying to squeeze from me, Amaya-chan?"

"Well first, I would to tell you how deeply sorry I am for the foul treatment I have subjected you to."

"Hah! Cut the bird shit, lady, what do you want?" Despite her open cynicism, the kitsune was really enjoying herself. Her weakness for bath houses was no secret to Amaya.

"I am being completely honest. I want to change things between us, to go back to the way things were before- well- before I started mistreating you so terribly," Kukyou observed the hesitation, pain, and honesty Amaya exhibited. "But still, I _do_ have a...a mission I would like you to help me with..."

"And the ulterior motive is exposed!" Kukyou spoke with exaggerated drama.

"You don't have to if you don't want to!" Amaya's eyes flashed."It is entirely up to you! But please, hear me out and consider."

Kukyou smiled deviously. "Oh? You want me to aid you, _you_, my captor, my enslaver, my tormenter of my own _free will_. Just because you gave me a nice little bubble bath! Wait, there aren't even any bubbles! Ha, dream on, kiddo, and just be glad you aren't some idiotic cat or I'd simply devour you and leave your bones for the monkeys to shove up each other's-"

"I know, I know, Kyou, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, more sorry than you can possibly imagine!" Amaya looked desperate, her eyes shining and her brow lined with tension. "I need to to help me save someone's life. Just one person! Help me keep him alive, then you can take as many baths with me until I die and I'll never ask you to help me with anything ever again! _Please_, Kyou, I'm begging you..."

Kukyou stared at the desperate, broken woman climb out of the onsen and crouch naked on the edge. Perhaps the lightheadedness had gotten to her. Amaya pulled her knees up to her chest and began drawing patterns with her wet fingers on a dry stone. Kukyou thought back to the passionate, strong-willed girl she knew just a few years before. She remembered the sometimes casual but often deep conversations they would share in voluntary cooperation, no, _friendship._ Back in the days of no missions, only training-geisha training and shinobi training. Then, Amaya had no need for Kukyou, yet they still saw one another and spoke to one another. A strange pair, a wise fox-spirit and an animated young woman. Nevertheless, Kukyou had enjoyed Amaya's company more than any other human being she had ever known. But, that was the past. The present and recent years with the woman were unbearable, and the kitsune could not look past that fact.

Perhaps, though, she could try.

"Did you fall in love with one of your victims, little one? Who is the lucky man?" The kitsune chuckled mischievously in an attempt to lighten up the situation.

Amaya's face turned pink. "No! It's not like that! I just... I think he deserves to live."

"It's not your call to decide that. You are supposed to do as your village tells you to," Kukyou spoke somewhat sardonically. "And that's exactly what you have been doing..."

"Exactly," Amaya agreed to the kitsune's surprise. "But not anymore."

Kukyou had no inkling of what had sparked this new epiphany within the young woman, but she was nevertheless intrigued. The kitsune surrendered fatalistically.

"Well, what's one more mission compared to years of misery?"

…...

"Tomoko!" Anko roared, flecks of spittle flying into the other woman's face. "How could you let Kakashi escape?"

A small-built, sleek-haired kunoichi shuffled her feet and stared at the ground humbly. Her cheeks were crimson as she avoided the faces of the surrounding ninjas.

"Enough, Anko!" The third Hokage was not facing the group, rather he was staring over the balcony and smoking. "Kakashi left of his own accord, and none of the likes of _you _have the ability to contain someone of his caliber." he tilted his head around just so that one eye met Anko's.

"But," Anko's intonation rose, "you do know _why_ she was distracted—"

"Silence! I am sure that there is a good reason, maybe not an excusable reason but a decent one, that Kakashi is acting on his own. Do not forget the curse seal."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Hokage-sama, there is... someone here to see you," a receptionist spoke hesitantly, noticing the expressions on the gathered faces.

A quick, silent glance from the Hokage, was enough to clear the room in an instant. The guest entered. A strange, ineffable smell that can only be described as spoiled ginger floated up and tickled the Hokage's nose.

"Danzo."

"Sarutobi."

"You are aware that this is a bad time," the Hokage made merely an observation, not a complaint.

"I have information and advice concerning the Sea shinobi."

"Speak quickly, but know that this information and advice will be taken with more than a grain of salt."

"Then, I shall give you a short history lesson on the village in light of recent intelligence gained by my subordinates. As you know, two hundred years ago they invaded the Village Hidden in the Rocks. Subsequently, about four decades later, they secretly infiltrated the Village Hidden in the Clouds. And fifty years after that, the Village Hidden in the Sand. Most recently, just thirty years ago, they clashed with the Village Hidden in the Mist. Konoha was never involved in any of these conflicts, yet kept meticulous documentation of known incidents." Danzo paused to cough and wheeze for a moment.

"I am aware of all of this, now what is your point?"

"It was not until recently that we were able to confirm that all four incidents involved the near extinction of rare blood-line limits. In light of further evidence, it is reasonable to conclude that the blood-line limits were the motivating force. The most recent target was a powerful ice-type found in the Mist," Danzo paused to breath.

"So," the Hokage grumbled as he finished Danzo's tale for him. "All this to say that you think the Sea village is targeting another blood-line, and that this is the cause of all the recent controversy?"

Danzo's voice rose slightly, a rare occurrence. "It was not just the blood-lines that were wiped out, but entire small villages and ethnic groups were slaughtered. Genocide to ensure that no latent genes in distant relatives remained!"

"None of which involved any belonging to Konoha. It is not the business of this village to meddle in foreign affairs upon no request! And I still have no reason to believe that any of the recent murders have anything to do with a blood-line limit."

Danzo fell gravely quiet.

"Do you have anything else to say?" The Hokage spoke barely above a whisper.

"I take my leave."

Silence.

…...

"Only four? I can escape if I need to, easily!"Kakashi scratched Pakkun's ears.

"If you say so. Oh, you're in over your head this time, Kakashi!" Pakkun growled.

Kakashi released the summoning jutsu and prepared to meet his attackers.

_Clash!_

Weapons, clones, smoke, water, and lightning exploded in a maelstrom. Three male attackers with sleek black hair revealed themselves and their mastery of water ninjutsu. Kakashi remained on the defensive, observing and calculating.

_ Sea shinobi, _Kakashi thought as he negated a water dragon with his own. _Unless, they are Danzo's men attempting to appear like Sea ninja. They seem to be almost too keen on using their water techniques..._

After the initial confrontation, the air became exceedingly tense and the fighting shinobi simultaneously became more guarded and cautious. Both Kakashi and his attackers were hesitant to take the next move. Kakashi vacillated because he could not locate the fourth ninja. The Sea shinobi were nervous because their battle plan had been somewhat thrown off.

Kakashi immediately picked up on the hesitancy and subtle confusion of his enemies. He caught them muttering quickly and urgently in their island tongue.

Then, a small-built ninja dropped from the sky and dispensed with Kakashi's shadow clone.

_Four!_

The frenzy was reestablished with renewed vigor. Kakashi unveiled his sharingan and immediately rendered one shinobi unconscious. The others were taken aback slightly but by no means perturbed. Kakashi felt the sweet nectar of chakra leak from his body as he carried on diligently with his opponents.

_I can't go on like this forever... I have to make my escape. Pakkun was right. I'm in over my head._

Kakashi mustered his reserve strength to weave a genjutsu while summoning shadow clones at the same time. Then, he ran. He ran, but he was tired. So. Tired. The muscles in his legs were slowing. It was as if he were trapped in one of those dreams where the legs are semi-paralyzed, or made of jelly, and the brain must work harder than anything just to get them to move. Yet, his chakra remained.

_What's happening to me? This can't be genjutsu..._

The tallest Sea shinobi was suddenly in front of him, kunai drawn, his carved, expressionless face two feet from Kakashi's own. Kakashi raised his arms in defense, only to realize that they also were too heavy to lift. He saw death, the stoic, the pitiless, the inevitable. What a sorry life. Kill or be killed. We are no different from dogs and rats.

Blood dripped from the eyes of the Sea shinobi.

The last thing Kakashi remembered was an envelope of blackness that was strangely familiar and the scent of wet lilies.

_Hatake-san... Hatake-san!_


	7. 第6章 Fantasy

第6章

Chapter 6

夢幻

Fantasy

…...

_Oh, I see you're awake._

_Yes, I am, miraculously. I thought I was dead! _

_I'm glad you made it alive._

_So you're the one that saved me? Who are you? Don't I know you from somewhere?_

_Yes, I fought you once, then ran. But more importantly, I met you when I was a little girl. You rescued me. You were so kind to me. I had to repay that kindness, so I disobeyed orders to save your life._

_I... I guess...I am so grateful. _

_I know we are of different villages, and are supposed to be enemies, but at times like this, all that can be expressed is mutual gratitude and good-faith, Hatake-san._

_Please, call me Kakashi. What was your name, again?_

_Amaya._

_Amaya. I am glad we finally got to meet under more hospitable circumstances._

_Me too. Last time we met, do you remember all I said about friendship?_

_Yes. I do._

_I was wrong. I was feeling so angry and empty._

_Why?_

_I don't know, just so many different things. I was bitter after losing my only friend, Natsumi, and after finding out she wasn't really who I thought she was._

_I'm sorry. I've lost friends before, too._

_I want, I mean, I hope this isn't too sudden, but I would like us to be friends. I can't go back to my village, I can't go anywhere and I have no home. But, I would feel better if I had just one friend, just one. It doesn't have to be much or really mean much, I only want to be able to feel like someone..._

_Amaya, of course we can be friends. Friendship is the most important thing of all. It transcends all ethnic and political divides..._

Amaya fantasized about the impending conversation as her eyes fell upon the unconscious body of Kakashi Hatake. She wanted more than anything in the world to get to know the man and learn about the twists and turns of his tumultuous life. Amaya treated the few wounds he had, but did not tamper with the mask on his face. His pointed chin and strong jaw remained hidden in shadow. Amaya was inquisitive but tentative about removing the mask. She liked Kakashi and did not want that to change. It was not that she was afraid that he would boast some hideous ugliness behind the mask; Amaya intuitively knew that Kakashi was handsome. The problem was more one of symbol or respect. Or fear that she might find out something about him that she did not want to know. But, she _wanted_ to know about him, everything about him. Amaya sighed nervously and stared at a luscious blossom on the tree above her head.

Kakashi awoke and watched silently as Amaya smiled warmly, the late-afternoon sun trickling through the dense foliage to drip on her upturned face. The thin, clear, mountain air caressed her shiny, combed hair. Invisible fingers played with the dark locks, tossing them over her smooth cheeks and prominent nose. Spots of were light sprinkled all over her clean, violet robes. Her smile relaxed but her lips remained slightly upturned. The small, delicate mouth was like a soft petal from a pink rose. Her hands and feet were bare, thin, and relaxed.

"Owatatsumi Amaya," his voice croaked as he realized that he desperately needed a drink.

The girl looked at him calmly. Her clear, pale-green eyes met his. She brought him a drink, stood up, and turned around respectfully. Kakashi stared at her thin frame but rounded hips as he gulped down the water. After he had finished, he spoke more clearly.

"Why did you spare my life?"

Amaya sat down on her feet a short distance from Kakashi's right side. Kakashi examined her unusual profile thoughtfully. Her forehead was straight and high and her nose stuck out, yet her face was solemn and strangely lovely. Her skin was smooth, light, and glowing. She turned toward him. Face relaxed, her straight eyebrows were slanted inwards slightly towards her large, horizontal eyes.

"You saved my life once, I was simply returning the favor. Do you remember?"

"Yes."

"You were so kind to me. I had to repay that kindness, so I disobeyed orders to save your life," Amaya recited her rehearsed words with as much conviction as she could muster, but her tone remained monotonic, like usual.

"All that is quite irrelevant, you know," Kakashi's voice was smooth but unmistakeably cold.

"I..I... but you must know..." Amaya groped for words in the darkness of Kakashi's iciness. "I was wrong! About what I said last time we met. You know, what I said about friendship."

"That doesn't matter, Owatatsumi-san," his dark, visible eye met Amaya's, chilling her. "What _does_ matter is that people in my country are constantly and unpredictably being slaughtered brutally right and left. And I'm sitting here God knows where with some strange woman who is in league with the enemy that tried to kill me."

Amaya suppressed a shiver. His voice was so calm and silken, as always, yet there was an strange bite added to each word.

"I am not in league with the enemy, the Sea Village!"

"So, your comrades _are _Sea shinobi?"

"Yes! But they are not my friends!" Amaya pleaded desperately.

"I don't care who your friends might be or if they don't exist. All I want is all the information I can get from you and to return my village," Kakashi stirred, trying in vain to move his still paralyzed legs. His voice rose slightly in anger. "What did they do to me? When will this shit wear off?"

Amaya's heart was stabbed with an invisible knife. "Oh, that. That's Takao's," Amaya's voice shook as she stared at a blade of grass or anything but Kakashi's eye. She fought to speak as she felt her throat swell up. "It should wear off in about six hours."

"Well then, since it doesn't look like you're going anywhere, I guess I can risk saying that your interrogation will begin in six hours," Kakashi spoke sarcastically.

"No, I can talk now," Amaya spoke with resolve. This was not at all the way things were supposed to take place, but she would nonetheless give Kakashi what he wanted. It was the only thing she could do.

"Oh really? And I'm supposed to believe what you have to say when _I'm_ the one laying helpless, rather than with your neck under my kunai and your limbs at my mercy?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

Amaya felt like crying. How would she ever get the man to understand she was not his enemy? She chewed her lip with determination.

"No. I will tell you everything I know right now. You will listen and decide whether or not I am being honest. Then, in six hours, you may torture me by any means you see fit to coerce me into honesty if that is what you wish," Amaya spoke as her head hung low and her sorrowful gaze turned to her lap.

"Fine. Tell me everything you know. But I warn you, it won't make a difference six hours from now. You'd best escape with your life before then, if you know what's good for you."

Amaya was insulted. "What makes you think I could not escape after six hours? I got away last time, remember? I would do the same thing again and you would not be able to hinder me!"

"You underestimate me," Kakashi whispered threateningly.

Amaya bit back her prideful retort. "We shall see."

The silence grew between them as they both watched a bird alight on the ground nearby, poking at invisible worms in the moist soil. Once one was caught in her beak, the bird swallowed it with satisfied jerking motions, then flew off to search elsewhere or return to her nest.

"Well?" Kakashi drawled.

"Oh, yes. Information..." Amaya spoke hesitantly. She was afraid because in reality she know very little about what was going on. Kakashi's eyes were fixed upon her. "Please understand, Hatake-san, since my desertion seven years ago the authorities in my village have neglected to provide me with much information on the missions I participate in. I have been killing blindly, purposelessly all these years."

Kakashi snorted in derision.

"No, please listen to me! I do know something, something that will be of use to you!" Amaya spoke hastily with despair. "I know when and where the next attack will be. I do not know why-"

"There are two problem's with that, Owatatsumi-san. First, if you are still the enemy, you are trying to lead me into a trap, obviously. However, if you are indeed an absolute deserter, then, logically, there is no way said mission will be carried out at the same time and place in light of your knowledge and escape," Kakashi's fingers played with his chin as he cast Amaya a sly glance.

Amaya sighed with resignation. "True. They will abandon the target and find another one, most likely."

Kakashi chuckled deviously.

"What is it?" Amaya asked, taken aback by the evil sound.

"Now _that_ is a useful piece of information. I thought the killings were arbitrary and without a clear purpose. It is all a distraction, am I correct?" Kakashi's glee showed in the slight amount of musicality added to his voice.

"I... do not know. I suppose it could be," Amaya clenched her eyebrows in thought.

"How long has Danzo been paying off or threatening you Sea shinobi into framing these distractions, hm?"

"D...Danzo? What do you mean? Oh! Yes, I have heard that name. Hushed voices whispering his name with animosity..."

"So it is with threats? What about Sakkakugakure? What business does he have with them?"

"Sakkakugakure? Do the Nara clan come from there? I do not know what they might want with him. And Danzo, this man, I know nothing about him. But this Sakkakugakure, I was told to find out information about how to infiltrate that village. Last time I met you, yes, that was what I was doing."

"What did you find out? What do your people want the information for?"

"I do not know. I found out very little. Only a generic picture of the strength of the genjutsu used to conceal the place."

"You know very little of what is taking place, indeed. I am exhausted. If you want to stay, be prepared to tell more of what you know tonight." Kakashi curled up to fall asleep. He was in no shape to fight, but he would keep his senses alert nonetheless. He would cultivate no trust for young the woman

…...

Amaya pondered the myriad of stars overhead, counting the constellations and trying to distract herself from the burning pain in her chest. Voices from the past exchanged discourse in her consciousness.

_"I thought we were friends, Natsumi," Amaya whispered to a dying girl._

_ "We were, Amaya... we were, that is why I am here, like this..." the girl coughed up blood. She breathed most heavily. Her skin was patched with blue. _

_ "No! We were not! You were friends with _them_ all along! Telling them everything about me, right? Sharing every intimate secret I divulged! How could you!" Amaya hissed._

_ "P...please... Amaya-chan... forgive me..." the girl clutched her stomach painfully. Amaya watched in silence as the girl tried to sit up. Amaya watched as something other than just blood oozed between the girl's fingers. Amaya watched stoically as Natsumi's eyes rolled back and her hand relaxed. Her insides spilled out over the tatami mat as she released her last breath._

_ "Na...Natsumi...sumi-chan...please don't leave me..."_

_ "They are my friends. We must abandon the mission."_

_ "__In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum. This is true. But those who abandon their friends, those ninja are worse than scum."_

"Fucking bullshit!" Amaya cursed the ground as she dug her fingernails into the dirt. She tried to annihilate the tears with anger. She failed.

Amaya buried her face in her hands and cried in anguish. She could not remember the last time she cried. She did not cry when Natsumi died. No, the last time she cried was when she was in Kakashi's arms seven years earlier.

And so she wept. Seven years of sorrow and loneliness burst forth from the dam of her emotions. Salt and water flowed from her eyes. She shut her lids tensely, trying to repair the dam that had broken. But, it was done. She choked and sobbed. Her throat burned and ached. Her shoulders hunched and shook. Her knees clasped to her chest. She was helplessly inundated with sadness.

…...

Kakashi's first thought when he woke up at midnight was an irrational one. _Escape with your life._ Irrational, but occasionally inevitable for one who constantly survives on the brink of life and death. His legs were free, his arms were free, and he was alone. If he stayed, the strange woman might have something diabolical in store for him. Or maybe not.

Genuine homeless deserter, or double, even triple agent? Could she be in league with Danzo?

Everything about her, from her mannerisms and her voice told him that she was honest. Kakashi was once an elite of the ANBU; he knew how to read people. But, he must not count on that ability. There are always those who can slip by anyone, leaving even Kakashi Hatake at unawares. What about interrogation? One thing he was sure of was that he most likely would be unable to drag her back to headquarters for interrogation. But, he despised doing the act himself. The thought of carrying it out on something so human and so feminine truly repulsed him. He would have to attempt another more roundabout tactic.

Kakashi stretched his arms and legs like a cat and breathed in the cool night air with gusto. It felt good to be alive. And, the curse seal had miraculously worn off in the night! Without hesitation, Kakashi sent a messenger hawk to his village with a concise but meticulous update and apology. Then, he strolled around absent-mindedly under the intimate moonless firmament. He searched for Amaya. After about twenty minutes of casual searching, he came to a rocky area near the edge of the high mountain. The trees cleared out and the heavens drew even closer. The distant river of the galaxy flowed across the sky and the stars and planets gleamed with clarity.

Kakashi heard a sound from below. Investigating, he found a narrow stairway of stones leading down to a large round rock of sorts. He crept inaudibly down the precarious passage. Peering around a wall, he saw the fetal, quivering form of Amaya crying softly. She had not noticed him. Kakashi's first instinct was a humane one to leave her alone. After this thought came the idea to take advantage of her apparent vulnerability. And so he approached her.

…...

"Amaya..."

The young woman started at the sound of her first name. Recognizing Kakashi's voice, she did not look up. Her face burned as she hid it in her hands. _Seeing me like THIS. How could things possibly get any worse?_

"I am s...s...sorry. I do not normally behave like this," Amaya spoke awkwardly, failing to hide the tremors in her voice.

"That's fine."

"I just... Hatake-san, I do not know what to do."

"Why don't you just talk to me. I'll listen. No interrogation. Just personal," Kakashi sat down next to her as if to further emphasize the invitation.

"Oh, why would anyone want to listen to... oh, hell. What do I have to lose?" Amaya spoke despairingly.

"Nothing, apparently," Kakashi tried to keep up an air of suspicion. His doubts about Amaya's sincerity were almost but not yet gone.

Amaya ignored the comment. She was already embarrassed beyond measure. Nothing mattered now, so she removed her inhibitions and let words flow forth. "I have been doing what I am told, carrying out missions effortlessly and without emotion. I once questioned authority. Those who are placed under the heavy hand of inescapable authority, we can tear ourselves away for awhile when something in our life opens our eyes to that urge for freedom some of us have." Amaya paused and looked at Kakashi meaningfully. Her eyes were dry now. "But, we cannot hold out against inevitable power. My people do not seem to have the same attitude of camaraderie as yours. Or, perhaps your people are not as noble as my imagination makes them out to be." Amaya glanced at Kakashi questioningly.

"We have our flaws and power-hungry citizens," Kakashi drawled, thinking of Danzo and many others.

"Maybe. But oh, how meaningless life is! So empty, empty, empty! This disguising myself, putting on costumes day and night, of ninja and geisha, only to return inside myself in private and try to create dreams and fantasies to satisfy this hunger for independence and greatness! This desire for something to consume me with passion! _You,_ have passion, oh yes. You fight valiantly, make friends, save lives. What do _I_ do but follow meaningless orders without question? There is no passion or valor in that. Perhaps I could run, desert, as I have done already. But there is no freedom in this! They will never stop hunting me. Using me to carry out their own despicable, greedy, violent deeds. Everyone is the same! All the fucking same! Power hungry, lust drunk, intoxicated fools!" Amaya hissed as she clenched her pale robes in her fist.

"People have their differences and individuality to some extent, some more than others," Kakashi sighed. There was silence for several minutes as Amaya collected herself.

Amaya's continued, "However, in our dream life we are much the same. In dreams, people reward themselves, eventually they give themselves what they desire. Think about it. No one genuinely dreams of themselves to be empty, having nothing."

"Yes, but that's why you must remember that none can discover themselves in dreams. Those who are consumed by illusions, fantasy, and desires can begin to lose their individuality. In dreams, one cannot become conscious of his or her own uniqueness," Kakashi rested his back against the rock.

Amaya paused, digesting Kakashi's words. Then, she realized that he had struck home. "Exactly! I have learned that my dreams tell me nothing about how to go about winning desires, how to enjoy things, how to let go of what is lost, or what path to take when I yearn for something," Amaya rested her right hand on her lap and her left elbow on her hand, caressing her upper lip with the back of her index finger. "Life pays no attention to dreams. No obstacle can be dreamed away from reality." Amaya spoke with a sense of finality, and she felt as if a great burden had been lifted from her back.

"Perhaps now is the time to begin living your life," Kakashi turned to Amaya and their eyes met for a moment, but Amaya quickly turned away as she received almost a physical feeling of resistance as she looked at Kakashi. She nodded slowly, and they were silent.

…...

A scrawny young man burst through Sandaime's doors without invitation. His eyes were wild, his hair was matted, and his once pure-white robes were stained with dirt and blood.

"Hokage-sama! Hokage-sama! Help! Save me! Save me save me save me! Save us! The Nara... the village... we are all doomed!" His voice rose and fell in maniacal waves.

"Who are you?" the Hokage roared.

"T...they've done it, the punctured the web! Dead, dead, dead we're all dead! They'll take what they want and leave us dead!" The last word was a deafening shriek.

"Get a hold of yourself, man! What is going on? Who is after you?"

"T...traitor... there must be a traitor among us. Or a traitor among YOU!" The crazed man spat at the Hokage's feet. Security guards approached questioningly, but the Hokage held up his hand.

"Little by little, they are taking us. One by one, until the society falls apart. No, all YOU are concerned with are your own villagers! If you can't even take care of your own problems..." Suddenly, the man's eyes grew wide. He stared at the ceiling and convulsed. He hacked and gurgled and wheezed. "Help... me... the curse... help..." An invisible hand yanked his tongue from his mouth, stretching it out two whole feet. It was black and rotting. A stench filled the room. The rotting flesh spread with extraordinary speed, consuming his teeth, lips, and cheeks. His eyes fell from his sockets, scorching the wooden floor. The unfortunate man continued to convulse as he rotted to death, as if some invisible force yanked him about.

The Hokage watched the scene grimly. He had long since lost the upper hand in the situation. Something needed to change.

A messenger hawk alighted on the window pane.


End file.
